The Badgers regular season came to a close and with that there have been a few standout players that have taken the spotlight for Wisconsin. Along with this, there have been players who still have work to do to truly prove themselves.
The Badgers had numerous highs and lows throughout the season, squeaking in and out of the AP top 25 poll at times. With a lot of new faces, it took time to adjust to the diverse roles everyone plays and the Badgers tuned accordingly. They ended the season upsetting three top ten teams. But along with this, they proved that they can also lose to any team in the country with losses to teams like Indiana, Oregon and their NCAA tournament loss against High Point.
Standout players
MVP: Nick Boyd
Senior guard Nick Boyd has been an exceptional transfer pick up and one of the main driving forces behind the Badgers’ success. Boyd averaged 20.1 points per game during the regular season, as Wisconsin ran their offense through the flashy point guard. Whether it was using his outside shot to stretch defenses or attacking the lane and finishing at the rim, Boyd consistently found ways to make an impact.
Boyd’s scoring was the most consistent of any Badger this season, scoring at least double digits in every appearance and making him the obvious choice for team MVP.
John Blackwell
John Blackwell’s consistency and ‘clutch gene’ was crucial to Wisconsin’s success all year. His 3-point shooting has been his calling card this season, having exceptional deep-range performances on multiple occasions. For example, during Wisconsin’s early season game against SIUE, Blackwell went 5-for-6 from beyond the arc and helped lead them to 94-69 victory.
Blackwell shot the ball at a much higher clip compared to last season. He also shot significantly more than previous seasons, a jump in volume and efficiency that can be attributed to increased confidence and offseason work. Blackwell recorded nine games with five or more 3-point makes. In those performances, he showed he can catch fire and help build momentum for the rest of the team.
Blackwell paired well with fellow guard Boyd, and together, they became one of the best backcourt duos in the country.
Breakout player: Braedon Carrington
It took Carrington, a senior transfer, some time to find his groove in the early stages of the season, as he averaged 5.1 points off the bench until late January. The turning point came in Carrington’s 7-for-12 3-point shooting performance against Minnesota, his former team.
Head coach Greg Gard gave him significantly more minutes after that, and Carrington blossomed into a key player, leading Wisconsin in 3-point percentage. Along the way, he led scoring rampages off the bench, scoring 20 points at Ohio State and breaking a school record with 9 3-pointers at Washington before finishing with 32 points.
Still have more to prove
Inconsistency: Austin Rapp
Austin Rapp’s season was marked by inconsistency. One night he may score just six points, while another he can erupt for 18 and provide a spark for the Badgers.
Rapp’s shooting ability is his main attribute, one that struggled to stay inconsistent for most of the season. In his best regular season game, Rapp shot 5-for-7 from beyond the arc against Ohio State. In the game prior against Minnesota, he scored just four points while going 0-for-2 from beyond the arc.
His hot and cold nature and slow defense, while improving, still leaves much to be desired.
Notably, Rapp headed into the NCAA tournament with increased confidence after an incredible shooting performance against Michigan, in which he hit six straight 3-pointers to carry Wisconsin to a near comeback.
If he can find more consistency in his shot and defense, he can become a true fixture in head coach Greg Gard’s rotation next year.
Missing the mark: Andrew Rohde
What senior transfer Andrew Rohde lacked on the offensive end this season, he picked up defensively.
“Rohde was recruited more for his offense, and he's turned into one of our better defensive players this year,” Gard said.
Rohde does his job on defense well, but his offensive capabilities are what held him back. Last season at Virginia, he averaged 9.3 points, and during his lone season at Wisconsin, he averaged just 6.0 points per game.
